Voice on the Line
by charis-kalos
Summary: Jim Murphy and Bobby Singer discover that it's not easy being friends with John Winchester - and it's even harder to try to look after Dean and Sam. NOW COMPLETE.
1. August, 1985

**August, 1985**

Singer Salvage.

_Bobby? It's Jim Murphy. Look, I just wanted to let you know that I'm sending someone your way. He needs to know more about demons than I can teach him and you're the expert._

Since you're the one with the Masters in Theology that doesn't say much for your seminary, does it?

_Funny, Bobby, very funny. Strangely enough the seminary didn't go in for pre-Christian rituals. I've shown him how to make holy water and I've given him some information about Latin exorcisms, but you're the one who knows the Sumerian and Babylonian rites. _

Fine. Does this guy have a name?

_John Winchester._

And why've you given me the heads up? Normally members of your 'flock' just turn up on my doorstep.

_Two reasons. He got into hunting a couple of years ago – when his wife died._

Oh.

_Yeah. He talks about it about as much as you do, so it probably won't ever come up, but …_

… Yeah. 'Preciate it. And the other reason?

_He's coming with a couple of children. His sons. Six and two._

What! No way, Murphy, no way! I'm not having a coupla kids running round here. It's a salvage yard, not a day-care.

_They're quiet boys, Bobby; you probably won't even know they're there._

Oh, I'll know. Why can't they stay with you? You've got the room and you can't tell me your ladies wouldn't love to have a couple more mouths to feed.

_I offered. John won't be separated from them. Where he goes, they go, and he's going to see you. It won't be that bad._

I hate kids.

_You don't __hate__ kids._

I do. You're the pastor; you're the one who has to love everybody. I get to hate people and I hate kids.

_You won't hate these ones. The older one, Dean, he loves cars. You'll be bonding in no time._

We won't.

_And the baby, Sammy …_

What?

_I bet you a bottle of single malt you're "Uncle" Bobby within a week._

You're on, Murphy. Loch Dhu ten year old.

_Are you insane? How much do you think they pay me? You can have a nice Arran ten year old._

So you admit I'm going to win?

_Fine. Loch Dhu ten year old it is. Looking forward to it._


	2. Five Days Later

Yes! What?

_Bobby?_

'Course it's me. Who's that? Jim?

_Yeah. What's going on?_

What d'ya mean, what's going on? You sent them here!

_The Winchesters?_

Yes, the god-damn Winchesters! You didn't tell me that John was about to collapse with flu.

_I didn't know! He just had a cold when he left here. How is he?_

Asleep. Drugged to the eyeballs. Not helping.

_And the boys?_

The big one, Dean, wants to spend all his time taking care of his daddy. Sits in the spare room watching him. Gives him his medicine. Brings him juice. Would cook for him if I let him. Which means I've gotta look after the little one.

_What do you mean, you're looking after Sammy? Why isn't Dean?_

I told ya, Dean's taking care of his daddy. Once John collapsed he handed Sammy over to me. And that kid won't slow down for anyone. I'm too old for this crap.

_Dean's letting you take care of Sammy?_

Are you going deaf in your old age? Dean's looking after John; I'm looking after Sammy.

_Bobby, if Dean is letting you take care of his brother then he trusts you. He probably trusts you more than he trusts anyone in the world, except John. __I'm__ only allowed to take care of Sammy under Dean's supervision._

That so?

_It is. What did you do?_

Didn't do anything. Kinda treated them like stray puppies. Made sure they were fed and clean and warm and talked to their daddy. 'Til he passed out in front of me.

_It seems to have worked … Bobby? … Bobby, are you there? …_

Sorry. That was Sammy. Wanted to know why I'd stopped chasing him.

_I didn't just hear him call you Uncle Bobby, did I?_

Nah_. _Kid can't talk properly yet. Says "Unca".

_Still counts. I want that single malt._

Look, Murphy, did you call for any reason? 'Cos I'm kinda busy here …

_Nothing important. I'll let you get back to playing. Have fun, Uncle Bobby._

…


	3. October, 1992

**October, 1992**

Singer Salvage.

_Bobby? Jim Murphy. You haven't seen John Winchester recently?_

Not since June. What's up?

_He went after something in Montana and he's about a week overdue._

The boys?

_Here with me._

How are they?

_How do you think? They're "fine", but they're not eating or sleeping and Dean won't let Sam out of his sight - so trying to get them to go to school's a waste of time._

Shit.

_Yeah._

That stupid son of a bitch.

_Yeah._

Did he leave you coordinates? Any of his research?

_There's some stuff here._

Okay, fax it over and I'll go find him. Tell the boys not to worry; Uncle Bobby's looking.

_What if you don't find him?_

Oh, I'll find the idjit.

_If he's hurt …_

He'd better hope he's hurt, or I'm going to kick his ass into next century.

_Thanks, Bobby._

You just take care of the boys; I'll find John.


	4. September, 2001

Singer Salvage.

_Bobby? Look, it's Jim._

What's wrong?

_Nothing, really. Nothing. It's good news._

Yeah, I can tell that just by the sound of your voice.

_Was that sarcasm? You've got no respect for the cloth, have you?_

Not much. What's up?

_Sam Winchester got a full scholarship to Stanford._

He did, did he?

_Yes._

And let me guess, John hugged him and told him how proud of him he was; and the Winchesters had a big celebratory dinner; and then Dean drove Sam down and helped him settle in; and they'll all be getting together for Christmas?

_How did you guess?_

What did he do?

_Dean won't tell me, but either Sam stormed out or John threw him out, and I don't think they'll be talking to each other any time soon._

And Dean's in the middle.

_Dean's in the middle._

Shit.

_Pretty much sums it up._

Stupid, stubborn Winchesters.

_Nothing new._

John must have seen this coming. Sam's always wanted something more than hunting. And to get the grades he was getting while never spending longer than a year in any school … John _must_ have known that college was the next step.

_You know John. He's redefining the term "obsessive". If it's not about getting whatever killed his wife he can't see it. He loves the boys, and he'll do anything to protect them, but even they come second. You can understand that._

No, I can't! When I lost … when she died … but I didn't drop _everything_ and take to the road.

_You found out what killed her and how to fight it. John doesn't have that yet. He's still looking._

He has sons! He has more than you or I will _ever_ have. If they were mine …

_They're not. That's the trouble. No matter how much we love them, they aren't our sons._

I know that! Shit!

… … …

… … …

_You okay?_

Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Goddamn Winchesters. You know no one else on the face of the earth gets me this upset.

_I know._

And if you tell anyone …

_Hey, seal of the confessional here. Or something like that. Your hard son-of-a-bitch persona is safe with me. _

So, you think Sam'll keep in touch with us?

_I don't know. If he's turned his back on hunting that might include us too._

Damn.

_I know. All we can do is be there for Dean._

And kick John Winchester's ass.

_I don't think that'll help._

It'll make me feel better.

_And on that note … bye, Bobby._

Yeah, see ya. Goddamn Winchesters.

**Author's Note:** Before any John-girls (and I'm one of them) attack me for "_He loves the boys, and he'll do anything to protect them, but even they come second." _– This obviously wasn't true when John gave up his life and soul, and the Colt, to save Dean in IMTOD. His sons then came first, before anything, including getting the demon that killed Mary. But this story is years earlier; and told through the eyes of Pastor Jim and Uncle Bobby. This is how they see the John Winchester of 2001. Okay?


	5. September, 2005

Singer Salvage.

_What the __hell__ did you do?_

Jim? What d'ya mean: 'what did I do'?

_Tell me__ you didn't chase John Winchester off with a shotgun!_

Not exactly. I threatened to fill him with buckshot, but I never got the gun.

_Why?_

Because if the damnfool didn't leave I was going to hit him! And I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop.

_Again, __why__? After all these years, what could John have possibly done to get you that riled?_

He asked me to look out for the boys.

_So, for asking you to do something you've been doing willingly for twenty years, you threw him out?_

He wants me to keep an eye on them because he'splanning to not be around himself. He made me promise not to say anything, but he's going to dump Dean and take off by himself.

_He thinks he knows what killed his wife?_

Yeah. And he's gonna go after it alone.

_Maybe that's best? Dean's a good hunter, but he's only a kid. And if he was around protecting him might distract John …_

First, Dean's no kid. I've seen him hunt, Jim, and he's damn good. John couldn't have anyone better at his back. Second, John's not planning to tell Dean _anything_. He's going to just leave him. You _know _how that'll hurt Dean. John and Sam are all that boy's got. And Sam's already gone.

_He's got the car, too._

Not helping, Jim.

_If he's really after the thing that killed his wife, John can't tell Dean. The boy'd never agree to be left behind._

So, he should take Dean with him. Not just leave him. It'll break the kid's heart.

_Maybe. Maybe not. But either way it's none of our business, Bobby. It's up to the Winchesters._

What was it you said in your sermon at Christmas? "Family doesn't end with blood"?

"_Family is born from love, not blood." And it's true. But no matter how much we love them, we can't interfere._

Well, we don't have to stand round and watch 'em screw up, either.

_No. But did you think about what this might mean for Dean?_

That's all I've been thinking about!

_No. I mean you threatening John. "Loyalty" is Dean's middle name. Do you think Dean's going to come to you for help if he needs it? If you and John are fighting?_

He'll come. Dean'll know he's welcome here, no matter what.

_I hope you're right. Because if John really has found the thing that killed his wife things are going to get bad. Very bad. _

I know.


	6. November, 2006

Singer Salvage.

_May I speak to Robert Singer, please?_

This is Singer.

_Mr Singer, my name's Cameron Douglas. I'm Associate Pastor at Blue Earth Lutheran. We met when you were here a couple of Christmases back …_

I remember. What can I do for you?

_Mr Singer, I'm very sorry to have to tell you this, but Jim Murphy … Pastor Jim's dead._

…

_Mr Singer?_

What ki… how did it happen?

_A burglary gone wrong, the police think. He was found in the room in the church basement where he kept his personal stuff. The place had been cleaned out, and Pastor Jim was on the floor._

… How was he killed?

_His throat was cut. The police say he must have died almost immediately … Mr Singer, I know that you and he were close. We're not sure yet when we'll be able to hold his funeral, but I can let you know._

Please. I'd appreciate it.

_Of course._

If you're letting Jim's friends know, have you contacted John Winchester?

_Not yet. I'm just working through Pastor Jim's address book …_

… and Singer comes before Winchester. Don't bother about that call. I'll let the Winchesters know.

_Thank you. And, Mr Singer? Again, I'm so sorry to have to give you this news. We're all going to miss Pastor Jim._

Yeah. Yes, we are.

...

...

...

...

John? Bobby here.

~The End~


End file.
